Hard-hitting front rower Annetta Nuuausala has been ruled out of the Warriors' second-round NRL women's premiership clash against St George Illawarra at ANZ Stadium on Saturday (5.10pm kick-off local time; 7.10pm NZT).
The 23-year-old Kiwi Fern had a huge impact in the opening minutes of the club's 10-4 win over the Sydney Roosters last Saturday, memorably flattening Zahara Temara with a thundering tackle near the Warriors' line.
It proved to be Nuuausala's last act of the game as she was forced to leave the field after just 15 minutes with a leg injury picked up in making the tackle.
She hasn't recovered in time to be named by coach Luisa Avaiki for this week's outing against the Dragons. Avaiki has listed 2017 Kiwi Fern Crystal Tamarua to replace Nuuausala.
The rest of the squad came through the gruelling defensive battle against the Roosters, a match which was scoreless in the second half as the Warriors courageously withstood everything thrown at them.
They made 243 tackles in the 60-minute encounter, almost 50 more than the Roosters. Hooker Krsytal Rota made a game-high 34 tackles while captain Laura Mariu and bench forward TJ Noble-Bell both finished with 24.
Topping the metres gained were second rower Onjeurlina Leiataua (113), fullback Apii Nicholls (95), Sarina Clark (91) and back rower Alice Vailea (81).
While the Flight Centre-sponsored Warriors started with a victory, the Dragons fell to a 4-30 loss to the Brisbane Broncos.
NRL WOMEN'S PREMIERSHIP
WARRIORS v ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
5.10pm, Saturday, September 15, 2018
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
WARRIORS WOMEN
1 APII NICHOLLS
2 LANGI VEAINU
3 SHONTELLE WOODMAN
4 ONJEURLINA LEIATAUA
5 HILDA MARIU
6 LAURA MARIU (c)
7 GEORGIA HALE
8 CRYSTAL TAMARUA
9 KRYSTAL ROTA
10 AIESHALEIGH SMALLEY
11 TANIKA-JAZZ NOBLE-BELL
12 ALICE VAILEA
13 LUISA GAGO
Interchange:
14 SARINA CLARK
15 LORINA PAPALI'I
16 AMBER KANI
17 KAHURANGI PETERS
18 SUI TAUASA PAUARAISA
20 RAQUEL ANDERSON-PITMAN
21 LISA EDWARDS
24 VA'ANESSA MOLIA-FRASER
COACH | LUISA AVAIKI
